RYAN GREEN believes a local derby win at Yeovil Town today would be a major step towards putting Bristol Rovers' season back on track.

And the Welsh defender is relishing the prospect after ending a 10-month wait for a first-team start this week.

Sidelined for months by a broken jaw, then Achilles tendon and hamstring problems, the right-back returned to the starting line-up in the Pirates' 2-1 defeat at Cheltenham on Tuesday.

"It was my first full league game since last November and the first time I have played 90 minutes, so it was good to be back," said Green.

"I had been out for quite a while but didn't feel under any extra pressure and just concentrated on trying to play my normal game.

"I felt good, I didn't cramp up and the injury felt fine, but I was disappointed for the team that we didn't get a win."

Rovers will be looking for their first-ever league win over the Glovers this afternoon and aiming to end a run of four straight defeats which has seen them drop into the bottom four of League One.

Though they have scored 17 goals in six games, they have conceded the same amount.

But Green believes Rovers can still challenge for honours this term if they can iron out their problems at the back.

"I think it's defending from set-pieces that has cost us more than anything. We've been pretty good from them in the past, but it's something we need to get right," he said.

"With the team we've got, we should be looking for the play-offs and hopefully we can get a win at Yeovil to push us on. One good result, especially in a local derby, can help to turn things around.

"We've been playing well in the second half in games but we need to start matches in the same way."

Rovers will be checking on the fitness of seven-goal leading scorer Rickie Lambert, who took a variety of kncoks at Whaddon Road, and winger Jeff Hughes, who has a sore thigh, before finalising their line-up.

■ Rovers have not ruled out a repeat of the cut-price ticket deal they are offering their fans next month.

Conscious of the economic climate – and the fact the Memorial Stadium will stage three home games inside two weeks next month – the club decided to offer Gasheads the chance to watch all three games for the price of two.

Bristol Rovers (from): Phillips, R Green, Coles, Elliott, Lescott, Pipe, Lines, Campbell, Hughes, Lambert, Kuffour, Duffy, Disley, Hinton, Hunt, M Green.